Apple's new iMac will go on sale on Friday -- and at least one analyst suggests the new product could be one of the wedges by which the technology giant can peel away market share from Microsoft Windows.

The all-in-one model comes with 8 GB of 1600 MHz memory, a 1-terabyte hard drive, third-generation, quad-core Intel Core i5 processor which is upgradable to Core i7, and 60 percent faster performance with the latest Nvidia GeForce graphics processor. There's also a new design, reduced reflection on the 21.5-inch, 1920x1080 screen, and an optional Fusion Drive, which combines 128 GB of flash solid-state storage with a 1-terabyte hard drive. A 27-inch model will be available in December.

New Apple models could take advantage of a window of opportunity for the company, according to Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis. He told us Apple could "grab market share from Microsoft, particularly on the desktop," for a reason that could be seen as particularly ironic.

'Closer' to Windows 7

Customers looking to buy a new PC, Greengart said, will have to choose one with Windows 8. But, instead of the moving to the new Microsoft OS, with its new user interface and a learning curve for many basic functions, customers might choose to move to Mac, he said.

The reason? "The Mac OS is now actually closer to the user interface in Windows 7 than the new Windows 8 is," Greengart said. While the newest Mac OS utilizes some aspects from Apple's mobile iOS platform, he pointed out that it is still primarily designed for a mouse and keyboard. On the other hand, Greengart noted, Windows 8 "is primarily designed for a finger."

Windows 8 is based around a new, touch-optimized interface of colorful tiles with live data. "There isn't a traditional interface in Windows 8," he said. Greengart noted that, even if one chooses to utilize the "classic" interface designed for keyboard and mouse, it is not exactly like the classic one in Windows 7, and users will need to learn new ways, for instance, to start applications or to print.

Design, Fusion Drive

"It's an easier transition from Windows 7 to Mac OS than from Windows 7 to Windows 8," he said. Greengart added that he likes Windows 8 on a tablet, where the touch interface can be used to its fullest, but that he "genuinely" dislikes using the OS with a mouse. "I'm not saying it's bad, but it's a different learning curve, and the UI is a radical departure" from Windows 7, he said.

Greengart also pointed to two innovative aspects of the new iMac. One is its "striking" design, which makes the screen look "razor thin" when seen at an angle. At its edges, the new computer is only 0.2 inches thick.

The other innovation he cited is the optional Fusion Drive, which constantly and automatically optimizes storage between the magnetic drive and the solid-state storage. The intended result is to provide the kind of storage volume to which users have become accustomed in a desktop unit, while offering fast load times.

It's also an easier transition to e.g. Linux Mint, which I'm sure a lot of Network Admins are aware of. They should be starting feasibility studies now, in preparation for the next major corporate upgrade.

I'm a long-term Windows fan, but since Win8, Linux is looking like an increasingly attractive alternative.

I don't want to seem like an Apple-basher, but it seems to me all they have to offer is a closed-in non-standard unix and PCs that are expensive and difficult to upgrade because they alter the design so much. No offense, just saying. If that's ok, go with it.

rnwilis:

Posted: 2012-11-27 @ 2:20pm PT

Avi Greengart is clearly an idiot, and any credibility he may have had quickly went out the window with these comments. Transitioning from Win7 to Win8 is 1000x easier than going from any windows to mac. The differences between Win7 and Win8 are trivial at worst. Basically they are exactly the same, except for a screen of tiles to launch apps instead of a list of icons. What an idiot.

Greg:

Posted: 2012-11-27 @ 1:18pm PT

Completely agree about the Windows 8 interface, but unfortunately the price of Macs still makes them out of reach for most folks that are clinging to Windows.

Case in point: Yesterday, I saw an Asus ultraportable Windows 8 *touchscreen* i5 laptop for $500. If Apple made something like that, it would easily cost $2,000.

Splunk for Free:
Find the meaning in your machine-generated data with the new Splunk Online Sandbox. It's a private workspace in the cloud where you can search, analyze, and visualize your own data, or just play around with pre-populated data sets. It's fast, it's powerful, and it's free. Click here to learn more.